Daijiworld Media Network – Karwar (SP)

Karwar, Jan 16:  Although the district administration had earlier said that the Kali Bridge that serves as the gateway to Goa for most parts of Karnataka would be closed for maintenance work for a month till February 4, the bridge was reopened for vehicular traffic on Friday January 15.

Deputy commissioner of Uttara Kannada district, N S Chennappa Gowda, who made this announcement on Friday, however said that only one side of the bridge would be available for the movement of vehicles at present, as the work of expansion joint replacement was in progress on the other half. He explained that the replacement of expansion joints would need about 20 more days and requested the people to bear with inconveniences till then.

Giving details of the maintenance works, he said that replacement of eight central hinge bearings proposed earlier, had to be abandoned for the present, as it would have taken over three months time. As a temporary measure, sim plates were installed between the hinge bearings and the lower surface of the bridge, allowing the bridge to be used for two more years before undertaking major repairs, he explained.

The DC thanked the general public, school authorities, KSRTC etc., for extending cooperation to the district administration during the period the bridge remained closed.